When surfaces such as concrete, brick, masonry, stone, etc., are treated with waterproofing sealer compositions, they get overall protection from corrosion and general deterioration. The treatment reduces the rate of water absorption considerably, thereby preventing water related damage. There are many sealers/repellents known to the prior art. For example, acrylics, vinyls, silanes, silicones, polyurethanes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, silicates, siloxanes, siliconates, etc. They are either water based or solvent based or blends thereof.
One prior art technique for waterproofing architectural components included spreading asphaltic or bituminous materials over the masonry substrates and allowing the asphaltic or bituminous materials to harden to form water-resistant layers. One drawback to this technique was that the water-resistant layers formed in this manner were prone to cracking as the underlying architectural components themselves expanded, contracted or cracked. Such cracking of the water-resistant layers provided water-conducting channels through the layers, thereby compromising the value of the layers as waterproofing.
Masonry has an ability to go in to construction where bare metal or untreated wood often would not perform as well. Masonry is sometimes installed below soil level, in direct contact with standing water, or subjected to foot or vehicle traffic, etc. While metal or wood coatings are acceptable for masonry in some applications where basic water-repellant barrier properties are sufficient, other uses of masonry require an optimized coating. Some masonry substrates impart alkaline pH to moisture or water that directly interacts with the masonry. This alkaline pH and the ions associated with it impart the efflorescence effect where soluble salts deposit on the structure or coating when the water carrying solubilized salts evaporates. Interaction of water, masonry, and coatings can also cause coating adhesion failures and cracking and crumbling of the masonry (especially in environments where the water can freeze and expand). When masonry coatings have enough elasticity to cover cracks in underlying masonry substrates, they often suffer from tacky surfaces that allow dirt and grime to adhere and bind itself into the coating. This typically results in a phenomenon called high dirt pick up.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,291 discloses a sealer composition for wood products comprising an aqueous vehicle, a water-based emulsion of a styrene-butadiene copolymer, a carboxylated styrene-acrylic copolymer, a paraffin wax, and a water-soluble methyl siliconate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,524 teaches addition of a hydrophobic resin in a non-gelling organic solvent into acrylic latex to improve its water resistance after a short cure period.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,531 proposed a solvent mixture of petroleum distillate and toluene used to dissolve a hydrocarbon resin and block copolymers of styrene and butadiene. The solution was applied to newly constructed basement walls to provide a water-resistant elastomeric coating on the walls. U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,532 discloses a thermoplastic elastomeric binder composition containing a multi-staged emulsion polymer and a photosensitive composition. The elastomeric composition can be used in an elastomeric coating, caulk, or sealant. Data was shown on the effect of multi-staged emulsion polymer and of benzophenone on the dirt pickup.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,814 discloses use of polymer in masonry applications such as cement modifiers, cement roof tile modifiers, cement roof tile slurry coatings, and cement roof tile coatings. The compositions utilized provided improved water absorption and water vapor transmission rates as well as improved flexural strength. The claims mentioned the polymer had 20-100 parts of at least one C12 to C40 alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,887 discloses a dirt pickup resistant coating binder comprising a multi-stage emulsion-polymer suitable for use in dirt pickup resistant coatings. The multi-stage polymer included a first polymer with a Tg of 15 to 105° C. and a second polymer with a Tg of −55 to 30° C., the second polymer having a different composition from the first polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,985 suggests a desirable pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises a copolymer composed of a) 60-95 wt. % a mixture containing at least one C4 alkyl acrylate and at least one C6-C12 alkyl acrylate, b) 3 to 30 wt. % ethylenically unsaturated compounds having a glass transition temperature of above 0° C., c) 0-10 wt. % ethylenically unsaturated compounds have at least one acid or acid anhydride group, and d) 0-20 wt. % further ethylenically unsaturated compounds.